Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid took in some high school football last Friday night.
He was in attendance for the Christ Prep Patriots’ varsity football win over the Pembroke Hill Raiders on Friday, just before the Chiefs returned to work ahead of Week 1 of the regular season. Answering a question from FOX 4 Kansas City’s Harold R. Kuntz during Monday’s media availability, Reid explained why he chose to attend the game.
“I love high school football because that’s maybe the purest form of that and the little shooters that play,” Reid said. “That’s about as pure of form as you’re going to get. And it’s neat to see people enjoying the game.”
As for the type of advice he’d give to a young high school coach, Reid has over two decades worth of NFL knowledge to impart. Most importantly, he preaches that at that level it should all be about learning and having fun.
“With coaches, I always tell (them), ‘try to stay as organized as you can and as patient as you can.’ Because at that level, a lot of guys are just learning how to play,” Reid continued. “There’s going to be some hiccups. You don’t want to turn anyone away from the game. You want them to enjoy the game. You might not have the most skills as some other teams, but you can make it a great event for the player and a great experience for them.”
It’s not just about learning the game, but Reid says there are important life lessons to be learned from playing football at that level.
“There’s so much you can learn,” Reid said. “There’s so much you can learn about life just playing the game and it toughens you up a little bit for things ahead.”
